The Optoelectronics Research Centre (ORC) is one of the world’s leading institutes for photonics research, based in the Zepler Institute for Photonics and Nanoelectronics, at the University of Southampton.

We are always looking for remarkable students to join our PhD research team to work on groundbreaking projects.

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We have a vibrant community of researchers, led by some of the leading figures in the field of photonics, who have contributed significantly to the remarkable growth of the photonics industry, including the optical telecommunication technology that underpins the internet as well as solutions in medicine, biosciences sensing, security and manufacturing.

In recognition of our world-leading expertise in photonics and fibre optic technology, and the many decades of inspired innovation by the ORC to provide solutions for real-life problems, the University of Southampton’ has been awarded a prestigious Queen's Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education.

Being honoured with the prestigious Queen's Anniversary Prize is recognition of just how important photonics is to the UK and the extensive role the University of Southampton has played in leading photonics research since the 1960s.